With a Past and a Present

Tuomas Antinpoika Teittinen, also known as Muailman Teittinen - "Teittinen of the World" - owned Torstila. In 1855 Teittinen together with another significant land owner Juho Oksanen convinced the town gathering to allow them to lower the surface of lake Valvatus a bit. In 1861 the stream in the small ditch escalated and dug itself a new path more than 50 meters wide and several meters deep. In three days the surface of the lake dropped about six meters. For sure they got what they wanted, more farm land!

The known history of Torstila manor goes over three centuries back when four separate farms were merged. The manor was was named after its first owner, Torsti Pentinpoika. Long disputes about ownership after Torsti's death continued until King Adolf Fredrik together with the Swedish nobility ruled in favor of lieutenant colonel Georg Fredrik Tigerstedt. Tigerstedt was found to spy for Russians and was decapitated as traitor in 1790 but his widow kept the house. In the beginning of the 19th century the manor was rented out to captain Carl Wilhelm Malm. During his time the famous officer Johan August Sandels spent his summers in Torstila. ​

Stories

Torstila is full of stories. Stories from the old times have their place in each family gathering, they come out in forms of habits, customs and sayings, they appear in the old furniture, in the paintings and in the wall papers. Some of them are told again and again. Some are touching, painful memories of the war times, but most stories emerge from the exchange between people, incidences in the community and colorful characters in the family. And everyday, new chapters are written in the story book of Torstila. ​